Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-17
THE SOIL.
And the Growth of Timber that Is Grown
Upon 1t.

| fertility will compare favorably with the
most famous valleys of the world. 1t is al
most all alluvial, deposited here by the three
great streams which run through it. On
its eastern border the Sacramento has
| brought down in suspension the finest and
richest portions of the wash and weather
| ings from all that vast country to the
| north. From the east the Mokelumne and
Calaveras have brought down the decom-
posed mineral and vegetable matter from
the sides of the Sierra Nevada mountains,
and formed deep, rich, warm, loamy soil
COMPARISONS OF QUALITY.
The writer of this article has seen the
best lands of the Mississippi, the Missouri,
SciUta, Miami, Connecticut and Susque-
| hanna valleys, the richest land of the
island empire of Japan, with its teeming
population, the wonderfully fertile lands of
the 1ang-tse valley, in China, which sup
ports more people to the square mile than
| any other portion of the earth, and he can
truthfully say that none of these surpass
the soils of northern San Joaquin for
depth, warmth and fertility. There are
other evidences of the
UNSURPASSED FERTILITY
OF this section stronger and more con-
elusive than all other, and that is in the
annual groupings Of wheat, barley, corn,
hay and vegetables, and in her orchards
and vineyards. There is no place on all
this warm, early coast where vegetation
starts earlier iii the spring and comes to
maturity sooner than here
THE TIMER
OF this region is one of its chief excel
lencieS. In the earlier days almost all of
these valley lands were covered with
growths Of great wide-branching white,
live and burr oaks, and along the rivers
| there were, and still are, immense growths
Of cottonwoods, sycamores, alders and will
| lows. On the plains the oaks have been
thinned out for purposes of cultivation
leaving just enough to make it one beau
| tiful oak park. On the mountain sides of
| the Sierras, tributary to this valley section,
there are
| GREAT FORESTS OF SUGAR AND RED PINE,
| Firs, spruce and cedars. These sugar pines,
are the most magnificent of the pine fam
| ilv, and it has no equal among the tree
| creation, except the redwood and gigantic
sequoia. p. Newberry, the eminent na-
turalist, says: Like all the conifers on
The Pacific coast it exhibits a symmetry
and perfection of figure, 4 healthfulneas
and yigor Of growth, not attained by the
trees Of any other part Of the world. The
mature tree sometimes reaches hight OF
800 feet and a diameter of twenty. The
young trees of the sugar pine give early
promise OF the majesty to which they sub
lsequently attain. They are unmistakably
Iyoung giants On the SUBMITS Of the
Sierras in this tributary country is
\ GROVE or THE GIGANTIC sEQUoIA,
The monarch of all tree growths Their,
is no portion of northern San Joaquin bu
what has fuel at its doors for all domestic
lIse. The homeseekers from the grea
! trceless plains and praires will find here
paradise II shaded parks and arbors. II
addition to the native tree growths, almos
every rare variety of tree has been brough
here and naturalized. There are groves o
the Lombardy poplar, the blue and re,
gum trees of Australia; many varieties o
palm trees; laurels, pepper trees, oranges
lemons, lines, pomegranates, magnolias
cypress, holly, larch, tulip tree, yew anC
myrtle, and many others, making witt
! the natural growths an arboreal wealth
neXcclled elsewhere.
THE FLORAL WEALTH
Is 50 great as to defy particular mention
There Is such Il profGsiOn of wild flower
that they are countless. Names are for
gotten, and in seeing them we only know
and feel the charm that surrounds Es
| Grace Greenwood writing of this flo-a
beauty in spring-time said: The granc
flower show Is at its hight. Anything NOR,
gorgeoUsly beautiful than the display il
valleys and uplands, on hillside and river
side, it were impossible for any other thai
2 a mad florist to imagine. Along on eithe
, hand runs continuously the rich, radian
9 bloom. You become intoxicated watch
ing the rainbow colors. There are grea
fields in which flowers of many sorts ar
e mingled i'll a perfect carnival of color
then come exclusive family gathering
, where blue, purple or crimson have it al
its own way" This is in spring. "Tl
summer" she saws, "if we 60 to tn
, woods, after the fields begin to brown Will
, age and ripeness, and find some shad,
stream passing llnder alders. bay trees
. the pines and oaks, we shall enjoy tn
same with no less fervor. Here are tn
, ferns, the wood moses and the ichens
Here are lilies, orchids, sedges, holy gras
, and liver worts. The birds serenade IL
: from the tree tops, and the stream sings
; song Of content as it goes joyfully toward
the sea- This picture is not overdrawr
nor too highly colored for northern Sal
Joaquin.